Timer



Patented Jan. 2.o, 1925.

ANDREW J. SAG'ER-, `O-F WINCHESTEB, VIRGINIA.

Application filed November 3, 1923. Serial No. 672,598.

To all w fiom t may concern Be it vlinoivn that I, AND-nsw J. Sacmi, a citizen of the UnitedA States, and a resident of ll'viiichester, inthe county of Frederick and 'tate of Virginia,` have invented certain new and useful Improvements inv Timers. Yof which the following is a specification.

'I he invention relates-to timers of the eominutator tvpeI for ignition systems of internal combustion engines in `\vl icha rotor or lbrush holder' and itshrush arci-revolved, at a ypredetermined speed. ratio from theA `engine shaft, vvith relation to a stator, for-,causing successive makes and breaks in-'proper-:order of theelectrical circuits controlling the ignition devices. i

The primary Object of the invention is the provision of la compactly arranged'` device that is comparatively inexpensive in. cost of production, simple in-eonstructionand oper- Y ation, and highly `efficient in the perform- `ance of fits functions Vof 'distributing Vthe elec- Y trical currents as required.` By'the E utrilization ofnny invention a :maximum friction surfaeeis provided between-the movingand rstationary contact members.; 1 uniformity -f in Wear on the operating parts is insured', a; reliable and Vclose frictionalfcontact is fmaintained, and compensation ismade for Wear of' parts, thus Aprolonging the-durabilityzof the timer. Means are provided for automatically cleaning the contacting members 'and' preventing accumulationof gum Iinthe path of movement. of the rotor, and other merito-` rious yfeatures are provided and advantages securechas .will he hereinafter set forth. Y

nThe' invention consists in certain novel features fof" construction involving the rotor andlstator, and combinations V.and arrangements of elements embodiedl inthese partsas Will he specifically pointed out and claimed. In the yaccompanying drawingsl I :have illustrated one complete example of the physical' embodiment of fmy invention Wherein the parts are combined and arranged' according' yt0 the best mode I have :thus far devisedfor `the practical' application ofl vthe principles of my invention. lVliile I `have shown the invention as' adapted 'for use in connection with a four cylinder engineY it will be apparentthat' the timer may readily be converted for use in connection'vvith: other types of engines Without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Figure l is a. view in elevation at the inner face of the timer showing the timing shaft incross section, and indicating the wires for distributing the electrical vcurrent to each of fourucylrnders ofl anengine. The ,arm-6 of the `head 11 is pivoted at 6 to the arin 6 of the holder.

FigureQ is a sectional vieiv through the timer-showing the brush in Contact with one ofthe icontactors.

Fyigure'iis -a detail sectional view of the .rotating hrushand its holder.

Figure is ian inneriface vieu' of a portion ofthe housing cap.

"Figure 5 is--a detail-sectional view at line 5 5 vshowing the Ymanner of securing the liovusigngrin'g, cap, and insulating hloelnas a rigidr structure. f

' For convenience of identifyingand showing therelation of parts I1 have designated lf2, 3, faiidwt, the Wires leading` from the ytiiner to the corresponding cylinders :of the engi-ne Tforfdistributing the electrical currents to the spark plugs. v

' The driving shaft-5 yfor thetiiner is driven in suitable manner ata L'predetermined speed A.ratio Sfronfithecrank shaft' vof the engine, and vthefrotorior brush-holder 6 is providedv .with a liub'wvhich istixedto revolve With the shaft by vmeans of a-slot .or notch 8 `tittingarounda retaining fpin) which is carriedqloy the shaft-A cup washer l0 encircles'thefshaft at the side of the hnhand holds the pin .against displacement.

At yits outer yendithe vholder or arm 6 is fashioned with a holloiv head 11 in which is carriedthe brush 12, preferably made of .copperandfashioned `With a conical contact point-,13.`A Tliehruslras seen in I41 igure 3' is hollow vand of-fa size` to fit snugly Within the hollow head 1.1 and permit rotary movement .offfthe brush lvvitliv-relation to its holder.

' The statorihousing includes a metalring l5, a fiberfinsulating'block 16, and the housing cap 17, which may be -fashionedivith a grooved edge `18-to fit 'against the circular vedge Yof the metallic ring, and these three elethe insulating lblock" 1G, and the screws penei trate .the insulating/block valso to rigidly secure these members together. By this construction of parts they may readily be as? sembled and fastened together, and VWhen required the housing may be dismantled by first removing the screws to permit separation of the parts. Y

The insulating block is provided With an opencenter 22 to accommodate the shaft 5, and the retaining nut 23 on the end of the shaft is accommodated in the recess 24C in the inner face of the housing cap 17, the cap forming a closure and backing for the insulating block as indicated.

In the face of the insulating block is formed an annular groove 25,-V-shaped in cross section and complementary to the conical brush point- 13 Which is adapted to travel therein. At regular spaced intervals in the insulating block are provided four sockets 16 Which` intersect the annular groove and receive and retain the respect-ive contactois 1?', 2a, 3a, and 451, which are of suitable metal and arcuate in shape. The faces of the several contactors are flush With the'face of the insulating block, and across the face of each contactor is disposed a V shaped groove 26alined with and forming a continuation of the groove 25 in the insulating block. In this manner a continuous annular path is provided for the rotating conical brush which travels through the continuous groove in close frictional contact with the opposed faces of the groove and passes successively through the several contactors. By means of the expansion spring 14 of the brush tlielatter is heldin positive i contact with the Walls or faces of the groove, and as the brush holder rotates, the brush itself also revolves with relation to the holder, and rolls through the groove in contact With its opposite Walls.` In this manner a maximum area of contact is secured between the rolling brush and the grooved' contactors, the spring vholds the brush to the conta-eters and adjusts their relation to compensate for Wear, the brush cleans and v.

maintains the Walls ofthe groove in a cleansed condition free from accumulation of gum that Would otherwise develop from the presence of oil as a lubricant, and the closing and opening movements of contactof the brush with the successive contactors is made With an absence of a distinct burning or Hash of electricity that is present in many devices of this character.

' The Vmetallic contactors are of the'approximate Width or thickness of the insulating block, and the rear faces of the contactors are backed against the inner face of the cap 17. Each contacter is fashioned with a binding post or terminal 27 and clamp nuts 28 and 29 for attachment of the respective lead Wires 1, 2, 3, and 4, and the inner face of the cap is fashioned with recesses for the accommodation of these terminals. The lead Wires preferably are brought ou-t through the housing at one side thereof, and for this purpose each recess 30 has comiected therewith a groove 31 in the inner face of the cap 17 for the accommoda- Vtion of the respective Wires.

The Wires leading to the respective cylinders may be identified by numbers corresponding to the cylinders, and these identification marks may be placed on the housing cap adjacent y to the respective grooves or channel outlets what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is-V l. In a timer the combination with an 11i-V sulating block having an annular groove and a series of spaced contactors iiitercepting said groove and fashioned with complementary groove portions, of a hollow rotatable brush holder and a relatively rotatable brush carried thereby perpendicular to the face-of the insulating block and conforming to the shape of the groove, and a spring Within the hollowholder for maintaining contact of the brush with said contactors.

2. n In a timer the combination with an insulating block having Van approximately V- shaped annular groove in its face and` a series of spaced similarly grooved contactors forming a continuous groove, of a rotatable brush holder, a relatively rotatable brush carried by said holder and fashioned with a conical cont-act member disposed perpendicular to the face of the block for Vco-a'ction with said conta-eters, and a spring Within the holder and engaging the brush for maintaining the brush in position.

3V. In a timer the combination with a housing ring, a grooved insulating' block VWithin the ring and a housing cap, means Vfor fastening these members .as a rigidV structure, a series of spaced grooved confactors fixed inthe block and fo-rming a continuous annular groove in the face of the block, a rotatable brush holder, and a relatively rotatable conical brush disposed perpendicular to the face ofv the block and carried by said holder for co-action with the grooved contactors. A

ANDREW J. SAGER.

llO 

